With the UK football season kicking off again, hopes are high… and so are the odds against us. I say “us” because my son and I are proud season ticket holders at AFC Wimbledon.
After a glorious win in the League Two play-off final at Wembley, we’re now back in League One – a league full of storied clubs like Bradford City, Luton Town, Wigan Athletic and Reading. Naturally, the bookies have us pegged as one of the favourites to go straight back down.
Which is why – if we’re to survive the season with sanity intact – we’ll need something stronger than just a tactical plan or a good transfer window.
We’ll need humour. And lots of it.
Because when things go wrong in football, as they often do, the best fans don’t just grumble. They sing.
Singing Through the Pain (with a Wink)
Football chants are the heartbeat of British terraces. And when your club is loitering at the bottom of the league, the only real weapon you’ve got left is wit. Enter: self-deprecating humour.
Consider this belter, sung by fans of clubs like Norwich after conceding yet again:
🎵 “We lose every week, we lose every weee-eek, you’re nothing special, we lose every week!”
It’s not defeatist—it’s defiant. It flips failure into folklore.
Or how about this surreal moment of collective fantasy:
🎵 “Let’s pretend we’ve scored a goal!”
(Usually followed by cheering and imaginary celebrations.)
Then there’s Barnsley FC, who offer a chant that transcends success or failure entirely:
🎵 “We’re not going down, we’re not going up, we’re Barnsley FC, we don’t give a f*.”*
These songs do more than make us laugh. They remind us that we’re in it together. That shared suffering, when set to music and bellowed with pride, can become something close to joy.
Music underpins everything. As The Guardian notes, chants – from Liverpool’s moving anthems to AFC Wimbledon’s existential bursts – aren’t just noise, they’re a collective heartbeat that unites, teases, and sustains fan identity.
AFC Wimbledon: Humour Cuts Through
Some of the biggest laughs I have in life come from being around the brilliantly funny fans of AFC Wimbledon, who we’re privileged to sit beside season after season. Their wit is world-class, and if anything, it only sharpens in adversity.
One of those fans is my old friend, the award-winning comedian and activist Mark Thomas, who puts it perfectly:
“I follow Wimbledon not for the football, but because I really like singing in public – and I’m not religious, so all I’ve got is the football.”
– Mark Thomas, on The Humourology Podcast
You’ll find us at Plough Lane most Saturdays – me, my son, Mark, and a chorus of other loyal Dons – cheering, laughing, moaning, and mocking ourselves with glorious flair. At half-time, you’ll catch us dissecting the game under the little corner by the bar, where the humour flows freer than the pints.
Nowhere is that gallows humour more powerful than in the face of rivalry. (NB: AFC fans really don’t like MK Dons – and with good reason.)
In one of the most surreal and emotionally charged match-ups in football history, we were drawn to play away at MK Dons in the FA Cup. This was no ordinary cup tie. It was a confrontation between a club stolen and a club reborn. Our fans made their voices heard – with banners in the sky and chants from the heart.
My favourite? A moment of existential genius:
🎵 “Where were you when you were us?”
Humour here wasn’t just a distraction. It was defiance. It was history. It was home.
Gallows Humour and Group Psychology
There’s real psychological science behind this. According to PsychCentral, humour is a powerful coping mechanism, especially affiliative and self-enhancing humour. When shared among groups, it doesn’t just defuse tension; it creates cohesion.
In other words, when we mock ourselves in unison, we don’t just feel better – we become stronger.
Three Takeaways to Keep the Fun Flag Flying
Reframe Failure into Folklore
Whether you’re in football, business, or life, take a note from the terraces: don’t deny the loss—sing about it. Acknowledging failure with humour gives you control over the narrative.
Laugh Together or Lose Alone
The power of group laughter isn’t fluff—it’s glue. In teams, boardrooms or stands, shared chuckles build trust faster than spreadsheets ever will.
Know the Line (and Play Near It)
The best humour is cheeky, not cruel. Make sure your self-mockery builds bridges, not battlegrounds. If in doubt, punch up – not down.
As the new season dawns, I know that my son and I will have moments of despair at Plough Lane. But we’ll also sing. Loudly. Badly. And brilliantly.
Because football’s not just a funny old game – it’s a masterclass in how humour helps us handle whatever life throws at us.
And as long as we keep singing, we’re never really losing.
See you next Tuesday.
Warmest,
Paul x
